Vending machine



O. N. KELLY VENDING MACHINE Filed Noir. 9. 192e May 3L 1927.

PATENT i OFFICE.

ORSON N. KELLY, OF LOS NGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VENDING MACHINE.

lApplication filedv November 9, 1926. Serial No. 147,288,

\ is simple in design and construction, which cannot be readily tampered with, and which will insure the delivery of but a single article upon the insertion of one coin within the v machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following description and the vnovel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Like reference characters indicate like.

parts throughout the several gures of the drawings, in which y Figure 1 is a. front elevation of the'vending1 machine, l

igure 2 is a section on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1',

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a section on an enlarged scale through the operator and clutch mechanism. Referring to the drawings the vending machine casing is indicated by the numeral 10, which referably has a reinforced glass face 11. T e casing is divided into two comartments, a relatively narrow'compartgnent or containing the coin chute and the clutch mechanism, and a relatively wide compartment for the commodity and the dispensing roller. The two compartments are formed by the provision of a partition 12 within the casing, located to one side of the glass face 11. For the purpose of illustration the commodity is indicated by lead pencils 13.

A rotatable commodity dispensin roller 14 is actuated by the operator 15 w en a coin of proper denomination has been inserted into the coin chute 16 and has one of the pockets of the clutching mechanism 17 between the' operator and the commodity roller. 'Ihe casing has a renriovabley back 18, which is locked to the casing and released through the medium of the key 19 acting through the coin slot upon the latch 20.

. A more detail description of some of these parts will now be given in order to point out the invention.

' ready to vthe coin in assed into The commodity roller 14 is provided with a plurality of article receiving pockets 21,

which are shaped and designed to receive.

the particular article tol be dispensed. Shelves 22 and 23 are pivoted to the Walls 'of the casing, rest normally upon suitable supporting lugs and form a bot-tom for the commodity chamber. Suitable projections are formed on the commodity roller to lift the free ends of the shelves in the rotation of the roller to secure agitation of the articles and to insure the dropping of an article into the pocket of the roller as it passes beneath the shelves.` y

The commodity rollerfis mountedin 'the casing by any suitable means, for instance by the stub shaft 24, which has fast to it the coin disk 25 forming a part of the clutching mechanism between the operator l5 and the commodity roller.

The coin disk pockets 26 adapted to receive coin of proper denomination from the coin chute 16. In its periphery it has notches 27, with which a spring detent28 coacts when the commodity roller is in the position shown in Figure 3 receive an article within the article pocket. The detent 28 thereby holds the commodity roller againsty frictional movement.

t The coin disk is also provided with a groove 29 to receive pins 30 upon the operator disk 31 fast upon a shaft 32 which carries the operator 15 in the form of a knob.

It will be appreciated that when a coin falls Within a coin pocket 26, and the'knob v15 is rotated in either direction, one of the pins 30 traveling in the groove 29 will engage the pocket and force the coin disk to revolve with the operator disk. It is obvious that this movement of all the Aparts may it Without having to determine the'proper direction of rotation. 'f i Guards33 are provided for the coin disk to hold the coin within the pocket for a sufficient period'to enable the coin disk to reach a position where it will be held by the spring detent `28 sna ping into one of the notches 27. At this point the coin is dropped fromthe pocket 26 and any further movement ofthe operator disk will not produce a corresponding movement in the coin disk. l

It will be appreciated, however, that be has formed in one face coin t' take place in either direction, so that `a user ofthe machine will be able to operate verse rotation of the operator 15 be attempt-- offset of the guard and maintain it there.

fore thismovement of the coin disk is completed an article may be dropped from an article pocket of the commodity roller upon into which the coin `drops or is forced by one of the pins 30 when it reaches that point, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. After the coin occupies the odset 35, the delivery of the article may safely take place, as the operator is then locked against reverse rotation. It is obvious that should re'- ed, a second in acting upon the lower portion of the coin would force the coin-into thev A plate 36 extending between the disks 17 and 31 will eject 'a coin which may beco-me wedged in a pocket 26.

By the construction described means are provided in a machine of this type for permitting rotation Iof an operator in eithery direction in order to actuate the vending machine, and at the same time prevent a user from voperating it in such a way as to secure a double delivery of articles upon the insertion of a single coin.

It will be appreciated that -in a vending machine of the type in which operation is accomplished only by a one-way rotation, there is some danger ofclogging of the machine, especially by a commodity such as" pencils, which may be warped or become tipped up, so that the/purchaser will not receive the commodity for which he has inserted his coin. This difficulty is avoided in machines vembodying an operation in either direction of rotation, when by the re- =versal of the direction of rotation, the pencils may be lie-agitated and delivery thereafter secured by rotation in either direction. The chance of faulty operation is therefore greatly minimized, and the failure of delivery of the commodity obviated. It is well'known that failure of a vending machine to make"l proper delivery results in a prejudice against vending machines generally, and often in the destruction of the yparticular machine -s'o failing'. Y

What is claimed is: v1. In a vending machine, a rotatable commodity delivery roller, a rotatable operator therefor, and an interposed clutching mechanism to engage the delivery roller Vand operator in the presence of -a coin, said mechanism being rotatable in either direction to To prevent this reverse secure discharge of the commodity, and meanscooperating with the coin for locking the clutching mechanism against reverse movement as the commodity roller approaches delivery position.

2. A vending machine comprising a commodity discharge roller, anV operator and clutching means between the discharge roller and operator functioning to lock them together when a coin vis present therein, said discharge roller and operator being capable of rotation in eitherl direction to deliver articles, and means forforcing said coin into a position to prevent reverse rotative movement of the parts as the discharge roller approaches delivery position.

3. In ay vending machine comprising delivery mechanism and an operator therefor,v la clutching device between the operator and delivery mechanism comprising a disk having coin receiving pockets, and guards holding coins in said pockets and havingcoin receiving oifsets for the reception of the coin to prevent reverse movement of said mechanism. j

4. In a vending machine comprising delivery mechanism and an operator therefor, a clutching device between the delivery mechanism and operator comprising companion disks rotatable in either direction, one provided Vwith coin receiving lpockets and the other with means for engaging the coin in the pockets to advance the coin disk, -guards for holding the coin within the pocket, and offsets in said guards into which the coin is partially received to prevent reverse rotative movement of the delivery mechanism as it approaches delivery position.

5. In a vending machine comprising a commodity delivery roller, an operator and an interposed coin controlled clutching'device, Ythe delivery roller and operator being capable of rotative movementl in either'direction to discharge position, a coinv chute,

a disk provided with coin receiving pockets,

a. companion disk provided with devices to engage a pocketed coin to move the coin disk, and'means cooperating with the coin for preventing reverse movement 'of said coin disk-as the delivery roller approaches y delivery position.

6. In a vending machine, a' commodity chamber, a delivery roller rotatable in either direction, lan operator exterior of the chamber normally rotatable in either direction, and clutching mechanism between the delivery roller and yoperator for locking the l two together -when a coin is present in said mechanism, said clutching mechanism comprising a pocketed coin receiving disk rotatable with the. delivery roller, an operator disk having pins traversing the pockets of the coin disk and rotatable with said op-l erator, and means operable at the time of.

side of said coin disk, said dropping a coinifrom'a coin pocket to hold the coin diskin position to receive another com.

7. In a vending machine, a clutching mechanism between delivery and operatingformed as, to lock said coin isk against reverse rotation at the time the commodity roller approaches delivery position to revent reverse movement of the commo ity roller after delivery of the commodity has taken place and before the coin has been i dropped. v

8. A vendingvmachine comprising adelivery roller,- an operator therefor, and a clutch between said delivery roller and operator, said clutch composed of disks be? tween adjacent faces of which coin pockets are formed, means cooperating with the coin to cause rotation of the delivery rolle/r and' operator in either direction, means for lockmg the clutch against reverse "movement as the commodity roller approaches delivery position,v and means for ejecting a coin from the pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix m signature. ORSON N. ELLY. 

